Cornerstone Stud is embracing an online selling platform by choice and not by circumstance when it offers a variety of bloodstock this week.
The South Australian nursery’s unreserved reduction sale will offer weanlings, yearlings, race fillies and broodmares via the Magic Millions platform with bidding opening on Thursday and closing next Tuesday.
“We looked at what was going to be our 2020 broodmare and weanling drafts in the spring of 2019 and felt that it would be larger than normal,” Cornerstone Managing Director Sam Hayes said.
Sam Hayes
“We have had successful on-farm auctions here in the past when it was Lindsay Park and run by Magic Millions, albeit with probably double the number of horses that we’re selling now.
“We didn’t think this time it was big enough to warrant that and we liked the idea of an online auction. We think this is a great opportunity.
“It’s not an unfamiliar platform and we were gravitating to having it online well before COVID-19. When Magic Millions could commit, that made for a very easy decision.
“It’s not an unfamiliar platform and we were gravitating to having it online well before COVID-19.” – Sam Hayes
“The quality of the videos and photos and transparency with x-rays has now made it a platform people have become accustomed to buying on.”
Cornerstone has been a regular seller of weanlings and pinhookers are sure to be alert to the possibilities this week.
The Not A Single Doubt x Celebrity Appeal (colt) sold for $300,000 last year | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“Just last year we sold a Not A Single Doubt weanling for $300,000 at Magic Millions, he went on to make $650,000 at Easter,” Hayes said.
“We also sold a Deep Field for $140,000 that made $260,000 so we sell some nice weanlings every year.
“Obviously, we have to sell a mixture as we are conscious that we only have space to prep 40 yearlings and we’re producing between 70 and 80 foals a year.”
“Obviously, we have to sell a mixture as we are conscious that we only have space to prep 40 yearlings and we’re producing between 70 and 80 foals a year.” – Sam Hayes
Cornerstone will offer 20 weanlings online with a selection by shuttle stallion Sir Prancealot (Ire).
“We supported Sir Prancealot quite heavily in his second season and we’ve been fortunate that his results in Europe and the US have continued to improve,” Hayes said. “He’s had a Group 1 winner this year and feel he’s very well-suited to Australia.
“He has particularly nicked very well with Danehill-line mares in Europe and we have sent a lot to him. There’s a few weanlings by Sir Prancealot, Pride Of Dubai who is doing very well and probably one of the nicest types is the Wandjina colt, Lot 12.”
Cornerstone will offer 20 weanlings online with a selection by shuttle stallion Sir Prancealot (Ire)
Cornerstone will also sell a wide mix of mares in foal to commercial stallion including Rubick, Shooting To Win, Nicconi and Toronado (Ire).
Lot 32 is the multiple winner Empress Ali (Ire), a half-sister by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) to stakes-winner Shared Ambition (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}) and Hayes is expecting her to also come in for serious attention.
“She’s the only mare in Australia in foal to Night Of Thunder,” he said.
Lot 32 - Empress Ali (Ire)
